GuideToAmsterdam



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Travel

From the Airport (Schiphol)

You probably are arriving at Schiphol which is a little bit out of the city,

you will take a train to Amsterdam Centraal.

 

Buying a Train Ticket

The train tickets for an adult from Schiphol to Amsterdam Centraal cost €3.60 (verify), you will need change unless you are a european with a card (PIN Pass, Maestro, Chipknip...), there are a couple machines somewhere that takes credit card so you can try to find those, if you have neither you'll have to go to the ticket counter. There are three types of ticket machines and a ticket counter. The old ticket machines take change or PIN Pass, the newer machines have touch screens and take a few types of cards, and the newest machines have touchscreens and take change or cards.

 

At the oldest ticket machine you want to hit the following buttons:

 

Aside: If you are a social young person and are riding the train during a weekday after 9am you have a chance of finding somebody who will let you freeload on their discount card. If you don't find anybody, though, the fine is €35 plus the price of a full ticket if you get caught.

 

At the newer machines with the touchscreen:

 

Aside: I am told that a KLM flight ticket stub functions as a valid train ticket to or from the airport.

 

Picking a Train

Things to remember when selecting your train (they are downstairs from the airport).

 

From the Train Station (Amsterdam Centraal)

Welcome to Amsterdam! Here's how to get out of the station in the right direction:

 

Safety Note: There are a lot of bikes in Amsterdam -- no, more than that -- and they have their own lanes and lights in most places. If you are walking on something smooth that is red or not a street you are probably seconds away from being pummelled by an Amsterdammer. If you hear a bell, move to the right. And if you are the on the street, too. Or by a car or tram, they have their own lanes and traffic lights, too. Taxis hate you.

 

Orientation

If you came from any cities like the ones I grew up in, Amsterdam is a maze. The city is laid out in circles each ring made by a canal (gracht) and there are tons of alleys all over the place.

 

Getting Around

Get a bike right away. There is a Mac Bike right to the left of Centraal Station, for a pedal brake it is €6 a day and the bike works pretty nicely, they'll hook you up with a lock and all that. I never buy insurance but be controlled by fear all you'd like.

 

Places 'n Stuff

There's a dutch site that I've reviewed some places on: http://www.yelloyello.com/profile/show/Termie

 

 

The Damrak and Dam Square (and Rokin)

From our Perspective Point (that's the center of the station, facing south, henceforth referred to as PP), straight ahead is the Damrak street. It is a massive tourist trap complete with marijuana leaf hats and sex museums. It is also a good central landmark to keep in mind as everybody knows where it is if you are lost.

 

The interesting stuff is on the right side of the street, and include:

 

After a bit the street opens up into a big square with a giant phallic mounment on the left and the Royal Palace on the right. This is the Dam, or Dam Square. On a good day there will be bicycles parked everywhere you can see on the left and plenty of people sitting outdoors watching you fumble around trying to take pictures of the bikes.

 

Of note here:

 

Eastish

From the PP this is basically due left. There isn't much out here, and not much at all if you don't have a bike.

 

Living

Finding a place

Good luck, the housing market here is packed. There is a mix of social housing (basically the government has a bunch of places reserved for Dutch folk), squats, anti-squats, unregistered sublets, sleezy salesmen, and something bordering on gang warefare.

 

Location

Note: You really want to be in Amsterdam unless you're quite ready to embark on a Dutch experience. Amsterdam may have the tourists but it also has the connections to everywhere else and anytime your friends are visiting they will be visiting Amsterdam, not Utrecht.

 

 

Websites

 

Renting Glossary

Terms

Features

Descriptive Stuff To Make You Feel Good

Location

Misc

 

General Tips